No 2018 Volkswagen Up GTI for you! Here's what we're missing

We’re not getting the city car VW here, but you still need know about it

January 19, 2018

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We know that you know we don’t get the subcompact Volkswagen Up! hatchback here, but it’s still cool to think about what might be if the Golf GTI Mk1 heir came to the U.S. Autocar’s Matt Prior just took his first spin, and he found out some pretty interesting things about the new three-banger.

First, a little background. The Up! came from a series of concept cars in the late 2000s. It was penned by Brazilian designer Marco Pavone and enhanced by VW’s Walter de’Silva and Klaus Bischoff. It went into production in 2011 and has only housed a 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine since birth. It’s smaller than the Polo, which we also don’t get here in the States, and quite a bit smaller than our favorite VW, the Golf GTI.

This Up! GTI makes 114 hp at 5,000 rpm and a stout 147 lb-ft of torque, in a package weighing just 2,359 pounds. Autocar says it’s good for 60 mph in 8.8 seconds -- not quite quick, but probably not annoyingly slow.

Don't worry, you can get a plaid interior in the 2018 Volkswagen Up GTI

On the road, Prior says the Up! mostly absorbs bumps but sometimes feels brittle. Wind and road noise are low with 17-inch wheels and narrow 195/40 tires, and brake feel is good, as is the shifter action. The throttle pedal is well placed for heel-toe braking, too. You do need to throw it around hard to feel the chassis’ balance, though.

It costs 13,750 British pounds, which converts to about $19,000. But like we said, it won’t be coming here, even though it’s about the size of the Chevy Spark and Fiat 500. Together they moved only 35,000 units last year, down 32.9 percent from 2016. Maybe we’ll see another influx of these scooters when gas prices go back up. On the other hand, if you happen to be vacationing in Europe, rent one. It sounds like you could do worse.